The Battle With Garden Weeds: Learn How To Smother Weeds in Garden
Once spring comes around, it takes no time for weeds to start growing again in your garden. And so the battle with garden weeds begins. Learn more below on tips using paper and cardboard mulch as a weed control method in your garden.
We know mulching beds help with keeping the weeds at bay and to conserve moisture. However, we all have encountered those persistent established weeds that seem, at least to me, to make a mockery of my weeding efforts. The roots of which seem to survive my digging endeavours, and I am sure the proverbial apocalypse, come back with more vigour than its predecessor. Those wretched deep-rooted weeds that are tough as nails and seem hard to eliminate – we all have them. With new weed offspring drawing what little patience we may have, we may be tempted to reach for herbicides. In my garden plot, we don’t want to use chemicals, especially toxic substances, near our vegetable beds or where kids and pets love to play. With this in mind, I would suggest you try all other ways to smother those weeds.
An effective method for very persistent and evasive areas of weed infestations is a process called soil solarization. This is a slower process, but very useful for large areas that have been neglected and also need sterilizing.
RELATED TOPIC: Controlling Weeds By Solarizing And Black Plastic Sheeting
Another weed control method is using landscape fabric, which can be purchased at your garden store or online shopping. While this generally long-lasting product is excellent to control weeds, it may be pricy, and it does need periodic upkeep every couple of years. It is a commitment that is great for pathways. However, it is not generally recommended for garden beds.
For your garden bed there is something better. Weed control that is organic, quick and inexpensive. Continue with me below to learn four easy steps how to smoother weeds using old paper or cardboard, and a bucket of mulch.
Paper, Newspaper or Cardboard Mulch Layering For Weed Control
Recycling out of date newspapers or used old packing paper from your house move is a very effective, cheap and environmentally friendly way to smothering weeds in your garden. The paper breaks down quickly, and this decomposing process adds organic matter to your soil. A win-win!
Make sure your recycled sheets don’t have staples or plastic tape stuck to it. You don’t want to add plastic to your garden and certainly don’t want to dig into old rusted staples.
STEP 1: Remove the weeds by cutting down to the ground or pulling out where easy to do so. The idea here is to level the bed you will be working on. Don’t worry about roots left behind, as we will cover these. By depriving the weeds of light, the roots should die.
STEP 2: Once you have your garden bed cleared and leveled, cover with old sheets of packing paper or newspapers. Cardboard can also be used if the area is particularly tricky, and you will not be planting soon. It is essential to overlap the sheets of paper or cardboard so that the weeds are completely blocked from getting through your paper or cardboard layers.
STEP 3: Next, soak these sheets of paper or cardboard thoroughly. The water also helps to keep sheets down while you are working – a little wind can quickly blow your sheets away. If there is a breeze, I find it is best to do a couple of sections of layering at a time.
STEP 4: Once your sheets and cardboard are placed and completely wet, top with several inches of mulch.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If purchasing mulch, it is vital that the mulch you add to your garden is of good quality. It needs to be sterilized and certified free of weed seeds. This will go a long way towards healthy soil and happy thriving plants.
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